


Under The Light of Stars

by ForgottenChesire



Series: As Seen On TV [2]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Gen, Hinted possible James/Severus, James Potter Lives, Lily Evans Potter Dies
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-04
Updated: 2018-04-04
Packaged: 2019-04-18 10:04:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,292
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14210742
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ForgottenChesire/pseuds/ForgottenChesire
Summary: "You don't have to be here."James doesn't want him here. He doesn't want anyone here. He especially doesn't want Snape upstairs where Lily died. Snape looks at him. Those black eyes bore into him. It’s unnerving how alike, how dead inside they both are."I know that Potter... but she wouldn't want you to be alone. Should one of your friends appear I will leave you in their tender care."If only. But it isn't likely that Remus will appear, not when he is out desperately looking for Sirius. And Peter... James shies away from that thought. Slowly James goes through what remains of his and Lily's possessions. What wasn't destroyed when Voldemort was and what wasn't damaged by the elements go into a special suitcase. Charmed and enlarged it should hold the important things. The not so static memories. Snape helps. In his own way. Snide comments that aren't as sharp as they once were, holding Harry and whispering stories into his ears. If he had the energy James would worry that Snape was telling Harry horrible things about him. But he doesn't. He looks at the stairs; remembers standing in front of them. He had forgotten his wand. Like a fool. Like an idiot."Like a man desperate to save his family."





	Under The Light of Stars

James looks around the place he had once called home. Looks at the shadows of a life he once lived. Lily's books, her clothes. There on the end table is the last cup of tea she will ever drink. He doesn't want to be here. Doesn't want to pack up the life he once had. But there is a portion of the side of his home missing, blasted away. He can't live here. He can't raise his child here. Sirius is missing, has been since he dragged James out of the husk of a home. Voldemort hadn't killed him. Why? The question circles around in his head. Oh, the deranged man had hurt James, had  _ nearly _ ended James, but the dark wizard had left him on the brink of death.   
  
There is a shuffle. A hiss. Woodenly James turns to stare at the only man to be available to help him. Snivellus. The man who James had bullied relentlessly. The man who hurt his wife so horribly by turning to the Dark Arts stands there beside him, holding his son in his arms and staring at his cat with terror in his eyes. James nearly snorts. Snape is looking at Crocus with fear in his eyes, it shouldn’t be as funny as it is. Like the fluffy thing that leaves mice in James’ slippers has acquired a taste for humans.

 

"You don't have to be here."   
  
James doesn't want him here. He doesn't want anyone here. He especially doesn't want Snape upstairs where Lily died. Snape looks at him. Those black eyes bore into him. It’s unnerving how alike, how dead inside they both are.

  
"I know that Potter... but she wouldn't want you to be alone. Should one of your friends appear I will leave you in their tender care."   
  
If only. But it isn't likely that Remus will appear, not when he is out desperately looking for Sirius. And Peter... James shies away from that thought. Slowly James goes through what remains of his and Lily's possessions. What wasn't destroyed when Voldemort was and what wasn't damaged by the elements go into a special suitcase. Charmed and enlarged it should hold the important things. The not so static memories. Snape helps. In his own way. Snide comments that aren't as sharp as they once were, holding Harry and whispering stories into his ears. If he had the energy James would worry that Snape was telling Harry horrible things about him. But he doesn't. He looks at the stairs; remembers standing in front of them. He had forgotten his wand. Like a fool. Like an idiot.   
  
"Like a man desperate to save his family."   
  
It takes a moment to realize that it was Snape speaking. The dour man looks like he sucked a lemon. Crocus is in a carrier and Snape has scratches on his hands.   
  
"In a moment of panic, you placed yourself in the path of danger."   
  
"Lot of good it did me."   
  
"Your son is alive. Don't dismiss Lily's sacrifice like that," Snape snaps angrily, face smoothing out when Harry whines.   
  
"We both loved her, and while you have more reason for missing her, for grieving you also have more reason to keep going. You have Harry. You can raise him."   
  
There is something in the way that Snape talks. An undertone in the already slow, articulate way that the man talks in. It makes James stare at him.   
  
"You can assign a lower level Auror to do the top levels."   
  
"You're thinking about killing yourself."   
  
The words escape him. He meant to say them, had wanted to say them. Just not right then. Not at the foot of the stairs where he nearly died. Snape doesn't look at him, looks everywhere but James.   
  
"What does it matter? There will be one less Death Eater in the world if I do."   
  
"She wouldn't have wanted that."   
  
Silence falls like rocks, battering them as they climb. They save Harry's room for last. Avoid it like the plague. No ghost inhabit it, just echoes of a life taken. This is the room with the most damage. With the least salvageable. But they go through it with a fine tooth comb.   
  
"I'm the reason she's dead. I didn't mean to. But the prophecy slipped out. Instead of learning his next move, I gave it to him."   
  
James doesn't respond, just holds out his only working arm for his child. Snape hands Harry over without question.   
  
"He'll need someone other than me to tell him about his mother. So if you can't live for yourself, or for her, try for him."   
  
It's a little hard to flick his wrist to levitate the trunk and Crocus, but he manages and then he goes. Gone in a blink of an eye to a too small flat that will be their new home.   
  


* * *

  
  
Harry looks up at his daddy, his little hand clutching his father's tightly. The little boy doesn't want to move. He doesn't want to leave the only place he's ever known. Uncle Snape says that he lived somewhere else. But he doesn't remember it.   
  
"I'll be able to see the stars right?" he asks hesitantly. He has to be able to see them. He has to. It's the most important thing in the universe. His daddy smiles at him. It's a tired smile. Harry hates that smile. But he loves it too. It means that Daddy has had a hard day at work but is trying to be happy for him. It means that Daddy is going to fall asleep reading to him again. Uncle Remus says that Daddy does important work, stopping bad people, but Harry wished he wouldn't.   
  
"You'll be able to visit your Aunt Petunia."   
  
Harry wrinkles his nose. Aunty is okay when it's just her and Dudley, but Uncle Vernon is always so grumpy. It gets his daddy to laugh so Harry doesn't mind so much. The house is nice. Painted a pretty blue it fits in with the other homes. Uncle Snape is waiting for them; summer is almost over which means that Harry won't see him as much as he'd like but in a few more years he will be able to go to school and be taught by Uncle Snape.   
  
"Is it-"   
  
"Yes."   
  
The door opens and cautiously Harry steps inside. He listens as Daddy talks about where things are going to go and how they won't have to hide Crocus anymore. He takes it all in. It's big. And some things make fuzzy memories try to spring to mind, but they slip away before Harry can really see them.   
  
"And here's your room!"   
  
It's huge! Harry can run around in it, hold out his arms and not hit the walls if he spins! And then he looks up. He looks up into the sky. Watches as clouds go by. It's the best thing in the world!   
  
Later that night, after everything had been put where Daddy wanted it to be and Uncle Snape had said goodbye, Harry lies on his bed looking up at the stars. There is a great bright star. Big and pretty and sometimes it's hard to notice the stars around it but Harry sees them. Uncle Snape says that the big star is Mummy. That she left the world to become that star. He's wrong. Mummy isn't that big star. Harry's eyes track to the left.   
  
"Hi Mummy," he whispers finding the right star. The star glows brighter as he starts to tell his mummy about his day. About how Daddy made Uncle Snape blush and how Crocus had claimed one of the shelves. He talks and talks until he falls asleep; never noticing his daddy standing in the doorway.


End file.
